Thailand 2016

I really wanted to ride an elephant. Decades ago while reading a travel magazine I was mesmerized by a close-up picture of smiling tourists riding an elephant up to the Amber Fort. That was what I wanted to do, ride on top of an elephant. Walking...

One of the water activities in the islands off Phuket is to feed the tropical fish. Those fish are "spoiled" by all the visitors who feed them bread. When you soak a piece of bread in the water, they come to you within a couple of seconds, and I'm...

Bangkok’s most iconic site is a massive palace complex that served as the royal residence until 1925. Of its many buildings, the one with the most architectural interest is Chakri Mahaprasat. It was designed in 1882 by British...

I had already begged a woman to write down the name of her ground—what, pork?—dish that first melted my brain. She scratched a couple Thai words on my notepad. Later, I learned she’d written “lunch.” Bangkok’s...

Every weekday, Chak Phet Road unfolds into a psychedelic kaleidoscope of saturated colors and heady aromas. At the Flower Market, dealers from all over Thailand sell orchids, roses, lotus blossoms, and marigold garlands wholesale to the florists,...

A full-day journey for food and wine lovers includes an elephant ride through Hua Hin Hills Vineyard followed by a culinary experience in The Sala for wine tastings with the vineyard’s sommelier and exquisite dishes prepared by The Peninsula...

Northern Thailand really is at it’s best during the ‘green season’. Imagine serene countryside surrounded by rolling rainforest-covered hills, hidden waterfalls, expansive fields, clear fresh air and birdsong. Between the provinces of Nan and...

This is where they shot the movie "The Beach." Gorgeous white sand beach and turquoise water, exactly as advertised. I read "The Beach" while I traveled around Thailand, which I would recommend to anyone who likes travel narratives and dreams of...